Harnessing Harley

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Living on Lake Holden has its advantages. Besides the obvious of getting to ride whenever I want, I also have the opportunity to see some of the best wakeboarders in the world shredding right outside my window. At any moment I can look outside and see legends like Greg Necrason or Dallas Friday just going out for an afternoon set. It’s honestly pretty surreal sometimes.

But as great as all this is, I would have to say the best part of my Holden experience has been living four houses down from young phenom Harley Clifford. Over this past season I have had the privelege of shooting with, getting to know, and ultimately becoming friends with this amazingly talented kid. I have to say that I can’t imagine anyone with a future brighter than his. At age 15, Harley has already accomplished what most would hope for their whole careers. Stunning everyone in his rookie year and taking the PWT crown sure says a lot about the 15 year old’s future, especially when you consider that it’s a feat that hasn’t been repeated since the man himself, Parks Bonifay.

The most impressive thing to me about Harley though, (besides the fact that he may actually be a machine) is his passion for the sport. The kid just loves to wakeboard hands down. All contests, sponsorships, and prize money aside, he wants nothing more than to just ride everyday, learn new tricks, and push himself to the next level. Only a week after the tour Harley was already out there learning switch kgb 5’s and moby dick 7’s (both of which he stomped, in a very short amount of time I might add). If that’s not love for your craft, I don’t know what is.

Harley is definitely the future of wakeboarding, and I can’t think of anyone better to holster that responsibility. When you take his freakish amount of raw talent, and combine it with his absolute love for the sport and life in general, it’s obvious to see that he is only going to get better. The only thing left to do is say to yourself, “if he’s this good at 15, where is going to be at 20?” Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure, its going to be a great show. – Adam Aslanian